On Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 of Rockdale Youth Soccer Association’s (RYSA) finest will be leaving the U.S. and traveling to Haiti for a seven-day mission trip. The group will be providing soccer day camps for children, school supplies, feeding a village and many other things. RYSA needs help to collect items they will need to make this trip a success for the children of Haiti.

Make all checks payable to Haitian Christian Mission; they are tax-deductible. Items needed: used cleats adult sizes five to 14, new or used book bags, pencils, crayon, markers, protein bars and powdered packs of Gatorade. All Items need to be turned in by Sunday, Sept. 28.

“It’s kind of surreal when you’re over there and a kid runs by you and they’re wearing a RYSA jersey,” Rafe Mauran said.

You can turn in these items to the RYSA office during regular hours. It is open Monday through Friday from 12:30 to 5 p.m. On Tuesdays and Thursdays they will be there until 7 p.m. Over the weekend, you can turn in items to the concession stands while games are being played.

“Thank you in advance for your help,” RYSA says in a news release. “With the support of our RYSA family, we can ensure that we have a positive impact on those that need it most. Let's make sure that these kids feel the love from here in Georgia all the way to Haiti!”